SB85 Alabama 2024 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Vivian Davis FiguresSenator

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2024

Title

State Holidays, move Robert E. Lee observance to October, nonsubstantive revisions

Summary

SB85 moves Robert E. Lee Day to October and updates Alabama's holiday rules, adds Rosa Parks Day and Mardi Gras provisions, and introduces new personal leave and holiday-work rules for state employees.

What This Bill Does

It changes the date of Robert E. Lee Day to the second Monday in October. It designates Mardi Gras as a holiday in Mobile and Baldwin Counties and sets Rosa Parks Day on the first day in December, with counties and municipalities allowed to observe these as holidays. It creates a new annual personal leave day for most state employees (January 1 each year), with Baldwin and Mobile Counties exempt, and sets rules for scheduling and paying unused personal leave as well as compensatory leave for holiday work. It maintains a framework for holiday closures of state offices, allows limited holiday openings with notice, and provides emergency and bank-related provisions; the act takes effect October 1, 2024.

Who It Affects

• State employees statewide would gain a new annual personal leave day and be subject to scheduling and compensatory leave rules for holiday work.
• State employees in Baldwin County and Mobile County would not receive the new personal leave day.
• State offices, banks, public schools, and public colleges would be affected by holiday closures, potential openings on holidays with notice, and compensation requirements for holiday work.
• Counties and municipalities could observe Rosa Parks Day (first day in December) and Mardi Gras as local holidays, with Mardi Gras specifically designated in Mobile and Baldwin Counties.

Key Provisions

• Robert E. Lee Day is moved to the second Monday in October (instead of the third Monday in January).
• Duplicative language is deleted and nonsubstantive, technical revisions are made to update the code language to current style.
• Mardi Gras is designated as a holiday in Mobile and Baldwin Counties, and state offices in those counties must close on Mardi Gras.
• Mrs. Rosa L. Parks Day is designated on the first day in December, with counties and municipalities allowed to observe it as a holiday.
• The official holiday list is updated with these changes and standard observance rules (if a holiday falls on Sunday or Saturday, the observed day moves accordingly).
• State offices may remain open on holidays with advance notice; emergency openings are allowed; bank closure rules and related provisions are included.
• Any state employee working on a holiday receives compensatory leave or pay; compensatory leave can be scheduled within the quarter or carried forward up to one year with supervisor approval.
• A new personal leave day is created for most state employees on January 1 each year; Baldwin and Mobile Counties are excluded; unused personal leave must be paid at least at the employee’s usual rate, and scheduling is required.
• The act becomes effective October 1, 2024.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Government Administration